‘Without him, this town sounds different’

Mayor Andy Szekely speaks as the Lansdale Borough Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to the family of Stephen Frederick during the Lansdale Founders Day celebration and on Saturday August 23,2014. Photo by Mark C Psoras/The Reporter

More than a year after his death, former North Penn High School band director, assistant principal and principal Stephen Frederick’s impact on the local community was again remembered in the posthumous presentation of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award to Frederick’s family during Lansdale’s Founders Day activities on Saturday.

“Steve had a lasting impact in this area, and not necessarily the landscape, the soundscape,” Ted Heller, who worked with Frederick for a number of years and followed him as high school band director, said during the presentation. “Whoever wins this next year, you’ve got huge shoes to fill.”

Frederick’s community involvement included the International Spring Festival, Laymen Playmen, the TubaChristmas concert, White’s Road Concert Series and as a founder of the Montgomery County Concert Band, Heller said.

“If Steve were here today, he would not talk about his accolades,” Heller said.

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Instead, Frederick would talk about his family and the support he’d received and how the Philadelphia Phillies should sign up the Taney Dragons players, Heller said.

“He would probably do the ice bucket challenge right in front of you,” Heller said.

In the areas of mentoring youth and music appreciation, “I don’t think anyone can hold a candle to Steve Frederick,” Lansdale Mayor Andy Szekely said.

Frederick’s daughter Karen Diehl described him as a great husband, grandfather and father and recalled him coming to morning band rehearsals for her job with elementary school students.

“He’s always a part of everything I do musically,” Diehl said.

Daughter Stephanie Frederick said her father always said hello to everyone and made them feel special.

“He never forgot a name. He was remarkable. He would’ve been a great politician,” state Sen. Bob Mensch, R-24, said.

Mensch said he first met Frederick while playing with the Red Hill Band.

“He could play. He taught me some things I thought I already knew,” Mensch said.

The response to Frederick’s memorial service showed the love and respect people felt for him, Mensch and Szekely said.

“I don’t think I have ever seen such an event, nor will I see such an event,” Szekely said.

“I enjoyed myself. I enjoyed the man. He did a terrific job for the community,” Godshall said. “Steve did a great job for Lansdale, for the whole North Penn area and it’s a pleasure for me to be here honoring Steve.”

“Without him, this town sounds different,” Heller said following the end of the awards presentation.

Other Founders Day activities included open houses at the Jenkins Homestead and Lansdale police station, train rides to Souderton and back, 125th anniversary celebrations by the Fairmount Fire Company, beer tasting at the Lansdale Library and the Lansdale Festival of the Arts.

With the new police station and municipal offices under construction, the people taking this year’s Founders Day tours of the current police station will be among the last ones to do so, Sgt. Dean Miller said.

“Hopefully next year at this time, we’ll be able to give you a tour of our new home,” he said.

This is the fourth year Founders Day was held, Mary Fuller, Founders Day chairwoman and Discover Lansdale president, said.

Although the day started with rain, it improved in time for the days events.

“Everything’s good and wet for the fireworks, but it’ll be dry at blast-off,” Fuller said of the fireworks display scheduled for around 9 p.m. at Penndale Middle School.